Teachers Of Closed Charter School Waiting For Last Pay Check

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MIRAMAR (CBSMiami) – After years of academic failure, the Broward School district shut Parkway Academy Charter School down last year. But to add insult to injury, the school failed to give the teachers their final paychecks.

And they are frustrated.

“I feel what they did was immoral and they are crooks,” teacher Daphny Lundi told CBS 4 News. Lundi taught at Parkway Academy for five years.

Another teacher, who asked us not to use her name, told CBS4’s Joan Murray that the writing was on the wall.

“I never had the right tools,” said the teacher. “When I asked for books they told me it wasn’t in the budget.”

Now teachers say there needs to be an investigation into the finances at the school. Teachers say they have reached out and have been unable to contact the former executive director Clarissa Wright.

Keturah Goulbourne was a former student at Parkway Academy.

She said during the school year last year it was rumored that the school would be shutting down so it wasn’t a surprise.

Teachers received notification in July that their pay was being suspended. In that letter the director blamed the Broward school district for interrupting school funding.

In addition to not paying the teachers, the school has been embroiled in another scandal.

In 2010 the Florida High School Athletic Association levied a record $260,800 fine against Parkway for widespread violations on its football team.

The school had the fine reduced on appeal but still owed money when the doors were shut.

Parkway was founded in 2001 as a charter school with an automotive program where some students trained as auto mechanics.

CBS 4 tried to reach Clarissa Wright and members of the board but our calls were not returned.